Publishers Weekly
05/23/2022
This so-so what-if thriller from bestseller Martin (the Peter Fallon series) centers on a plot to kill FDR. Right after Pearl Harbor, German agent Martin Browning finalizes his plan to shoot President Roosevelt during the White House Christmas tree lighting. Browning, who’s been working as a haberdasher in L.A., intends to travel cross-country by train. By chance, at a diner, Browning rescues an attractive woman from an attempted abduction. She turns out to be an unsuccessful would-be actor, who’s taken the stage name of Vivian Hopewell and is more than ready to abandon her Hollywood dreams and return home to Maryland. Browning persuades the impoverished Hopewell to pose as his wife aboard the Super Chief, in exchange for a free ride back east. The assassin hopes that ruse will divert suspicion from him, particularly since he murdered his L.A. landlady after she stumbled on some of his secrets. The predictable plot, in which Browning finds himself torn between his assignment and his growing feelings for Hopewell, builds to a contrivance-riddled finale. Genre fans have seen this all before. Agent: Robert Gottlieb, Trident Media. (June)
From the Publisher
Martin concocts a devilishly complex and lusciously detail-rich thriller. . . Echoing Ken Follett's classic Eye of the Needle, Martin builds tension superbly while surrounding the assassin and his pursuer with a rich panoply of supporting players and backstories.”
—Booklist
“In December, 1941, FDR and Churchill are marked for death by a Nazi assassin. A remarkable story that will keep you reading late into the night. Be prepared to be shocked to your feet by the unexpected climax. Don't miss this one.”
— Catherine Coulter, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Vortex
“Another masterpiece from a master, and that’s exactly what William Martin is. A reader will never be in more capable hands."
—Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Kaiser's Web
“This pedal-to-the-floor historical spy thriller is a knockout! In the weeks immediately following Pearl Harbor, Old Hollywood collides with a secret Nazi cell and the result is a tautly written, adrenaline-filled roller coaster ride with the highest of stakes. Add in colorful characters, hairpin turns, and hold-your-breath suspense, and this has Do Not Miss stamped all over it.“
—Karen Robards, New York Times bestselling author of The Black Swan of Paris
“William Martin's thriller December '41 is a well-written, well-researched, and utterly engrossing work of historical fiction. I loved the rich characters, the noir-like dialogue and settings, and the backdrop of those terrifying days in the American Homeland during the start of World War Two. A great piece of writing that was a blast to read.”
—Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Gray Man
“December '41 is absolutely splendid, a cinematic thriller that takes us across the United States in the first days after Pearl Harbor. It places sharply observed heroes and an unforgettable villain at a unique moment in history, and reminded me of the great wartime movies. Bravo."
—Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of House on Fire
“William Martin’s, December ’41 is a propulsive and masterful historical spy thriller which feels ominously contemporary. Written in the best Alfred Hitchcock film style crossed with the books of Graham Green and Ken Follett. The frenetic pace and story are phenomenal, filled with classic twists and turns. Agents turn into double agents and, then, triple agents; this thrilling read grips you by the throat and never lets go!”
—Andrew Mayne, #1 Amazon best- selling author of The Naturalist and The Girl Beneath The Sea
“In William Martin’s highly suspenseful historical thriller December ’41, America is reeling after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and U.S. law enforcement at all levels understand that the Nazi threat is not just overseas. This is a gripping cat and mouse tale that follows a seasoned Nazi tracker as he races across the country, from glamorous, gritty Hollywood to the bustling streets of war time D.C, to try and catch a seasoned Nazi assassin before he can achieve his most critical mission - killing FDR. December ’41 is the ultimate page turner, I loved it!”
—Jane Healey, bestselling author of The Beantown Girls and The Secret Stealers
“William Martin is the consummate storyteller! His brilliant December '41 is a contemporary take on the classic spy thriller—It's Herman Wouk meets The Day of the Jackal, with the ticking time bomb expertise of Hitchcock—and it is irresistible. Instantly cinematic and endlessly entertaining, December '41 is an absolute page turner. Martin’s impeccable research shines through, seamlessly, in this historical look at old Hollywood, World War II, and the profound triumph of the human spirit.”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of Her Perfect Life
“Richly imagined, deftly plotted and deeply researched, this atmospheric thriller captures the bygone world of the USA in the troubled days after Pearl Harbor while paying tribute to the great noir novels and films of our past. December '41 will delight fans of this gifted and versatile author while attracting a legion of new devotees. I became so engaged in reading this fast-as-a-bullet tale that I lost track of the time and missed an appointment. Be warned: Clear your schedule before you turn to page one.”
—Ralph Peters, author of Cain at Gettysburg and The War After Armageddon
“William Martin is one of the best fictional interpreters of history working today. His DECEMBER, '41 reveals the world-changing era that pulled the U.S. into wars and struggles that continue to shape all our lives well into the 21st Century. He reports it all, the heroes and villains, the fallen and the forlorn, the struggles of human beings across the global for freedom.”
—James Grady, New York Times bestselling author of 3 Days of the Condor
“Against the backdrop of perhaps the most momentous month in U.S. history, William Martin has crafted a first-class mystery. The detail is sharp and the pace breathless. An imaginative story, brilliantly told!”
—Ward Larsen, award-winning, USA Today bestselling author of Assassin’s Strike
“Reviving the best of L.A. noir and the heyday of Hollywood with slick dialogue, clever comebacks, and dogged detective work, December ’41 is a bullet train of thrills speeding to an unforgettable conclusion.”
—Historical Novels Review
"William Martin simply knows how to write. And he knows how to write a smash-up story with atmospheric touches so authentic you’ll forget you’re in the 21st century. The subject matter here is deadly serious, but the characters who make cameo appearances—big names from show biz in the 1940s—liven up the novel and make you feel like a Hollywood insider. December ’41 is packed with history, thrills, chills and clever plot twists. So sit down, stretch out, open the book and fall inside this wonderful adventure."
—Bookreporter
Library Journal - Audio
09/01/2022
In 1941, secret Nazi agent Martin Browning is preparing to make a train journey from Los Angeles to Washington, DC, in order to assassinate Franklin D. Roosevelt, thereby throwing the American war effort into chaos. Along for the ride is aspiring actress Vivian Hopewell, who is pretending to be Browning's wife in order to get back home to Maryland. FBI agents are also aboard. As relationships form and murders occur, eventually the action moves off the train and into Washington, DC, where FDR's life hangs in the balance. Narrator Robert Fass is very good at giving each character a distinct voice and accent, and his impression of Roosevelt is right on target. The brisk timing of the narration and crisp characterization help move the plot forward through each character's recounting. However, it takes quite a while before the suspense really grabs the reader as the author uses several spy drama tropes. VERDICT Reminiscent of the thrillers of the 1980s, such as those written by Frederick Forsyth and Ken Follett, this is a supplemental choice for public libraries who cannot keep enough World War II spy novels on the shelf.—B. Allison Gray
JULY 2022 - AudioFile
Robert Fass narrates this historical thriller, which takes place in the opening month of WWII. A German agent in Los Angeles spearheads a plan to assassinate President Roosevelt when he lights the national Christmas tree. Martin Browning travels to Washington DC by car and train, hiding in plain sight in various disguises; each new persona is voiced with a slight difference by Fass. An aspiring actress naïvely agrees to pose as Browning’s wife during the journey, and Fass portrays her growing suspicion—and infatuation—as they approach the nation’s capital. The German-American conspirators are given modest accents, and the Hollywood script reader in pursuit of the couple sounds earnest in his role as a part-time American spy. The glamorous Super Chief train provides interesting historical context. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
